The Athletics and Oklahoma's Kyler Murray have agreed to a deal that guarantees him almost $5 million and allows him to play football for the Sooners for one year, reports FRS Baseball's Jon Heyman.
Time

FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2018, file photo, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) celebrates on the sidelines after throwing a touchdown against Oklahoma during the second half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game, in Arlington, Texas. Murray was named The Associated Press college football Player of the Year, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter, File) ORG XMIT: NY178(Photo: AP)

A month ago, Tua Tagovailoa could have carved a place for the Heisman Trophy on his mantel in Tuscaloosa. He was the overwhelming and deserving favorite.

But the last five weeks featured highlight after highlight of Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, who threw for 300 yards in four of the last five games and ran for 100 or more yards in two contests as Oklahoma won all five and earned the Big 12 title.

Murray dragged the Sooners to the College Football Playoff, and he was rewarded by winning the Heisman Trophy Saturday in New York City over the Alabama quarterback that he will face in three weeks in the CFP semifinals.

Murray earned 2,167 total points and 517 first-place votes. Tagovailoa was second with 1,871 total points, a Heisman record for a runner-up, and 299 first-place votes

Murray could have withdrawn from Oklahoma in the summer and began his professional baseball career with the Oakland A's, who picked him ninth overall in June's MLB Draft. But the rookie contract agreement between team and player allowed Murray to play for the Sooners this season.

It paid off, with the 5-foot-10 quarterback compiling 51 total touchdowns (40 passing, 11 rushing) and 4,053 passing yards. Combine that with 893 rushing yards and Murray's electric speed, and Murray was the main reason in Oklahoma's 12-1 record and CFP bid.

The Sooners themselves needed a quarterback in the summer, with 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield off to the NFL. And they certainly found themselves one. Murray found some playing time in 2017 as the running quarterback in certain packages for Oklahoma's offense as well as sweeping up as the backup in blowout games.

Even then, it was stability in a college football career that began at Texas A&M in 2015. He would transfer after his freshman year and sat out the 2016 season after transferring to the Sooners.

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley has now coached two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks in the two seasons as head coach.

Tagovailoa's candidacy may have been hurt, incidentally, by a combination of his lack of stat-padding fourth quarters and Jalen Hurts' fourth-quarter comeback in the SEC Championship. The Alabama quarterback's numbers were modest compared to Murray and Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins, who led the nation in passing yards. Still, Tagovailoa's extreme efficiency (37 touchdowns and four interceptions) and Alabama's dominance put his name atop the list up until the last few weeks.